Book Review – You Send Me

31 Thursday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Compass Cove series, Jeannie Moon, You Send Me

The fabulous Jeannie Moon is back again!

*****

You Send Me

Compass Cove series

by Jeannie Moon

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Tule Publishing Group

Format: Digital/Print

AISN: B07CGJGDPZ

Blurb:

In YOU SEND ME, Jordan and Nick must let go or their separate pasts in order to seize their future together in this charming fake engagement romance. Fans of Susan Wiggs and RaeAnne Thayne have fallen in love with the Compass Cove series from International Bestselling Author, Jeannie Moon.

Jordan Velsor didn’t want to need anyone. After dumping her cheating fiancé, caring for her sick dad, and nearly being crushed along with her car during a violent storm, she’s pretty much at her breaking point. If anyone needs some luck, it’s Jordan, but the last thing she wants is gorgeous Nick Rinaldi, her landlord’s grandson, hovering over her while she nurses a bad cold. The wounded Navy doctor seems too good to be true… which means he probably is.

Nick Rinaldi left the Navy broken and adrift, wondering if he would ever practice medicine again. When his grandparents’ tenant is almost killed by a falling tree during a storm, he discovers Jordan is not only in shock, but suffering from pneumonia. Not one to miss an opportunity to play white knight, Nick arrives at her cottage to take care of her during the storm… But the lovely teacher has a fierce independent streak, and as he learns more about her, he wants to do more than merely help.

Can Jordan and Nick let go of their separate pasts and seize their future together?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HzVSES

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2vpQ6ki

iBooks: https://apple.co/2IVOqof

*****

Download YOU SEND ME or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek and enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or books from Jeannie Moon!

Also in the Compass Cove series

THEN CAME YOU

Amazon Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

*****

Excerpt:

The deep rattling cough woke her from a restless sleep. This cold was kicking her ass, but even though all she wanted to do was burrow under the covers, she was out of tissues, and the dog needed to go outside.

Glancing out her window, the weather had worsened. She almost would have been content putting out a pad for Gertie to go inside, but her tissues and cough medicine were in the back seat of her car. She had to go out regardless.

“Come on, Gertie, time to pee.”

With a whimper and a moan from her spot at the other end of the couch, her little rescue buried her face in the corner. Gertie was no dummy.

“Look, if I have to go out, so do you. Your bladder is the size of a thimble, and it’s going to get even worse later.”

The dog sighed—sighed her annoyance at Jordan. A dog with an attitude. Didn’t it figure? Gertie practically rolled off the plush cushion and settled on her back on the blue patterned rug. Her short little legs were straight up in the air, feigning death.

Jordan felt pretty dead herself, but they still had to go outside.

The wind howled, and all the windows in the cottage shook like it was going to lift up and fly away. Gust after gust provided a not-so-subtle reminder that the nor’easter currently blowing across Long Island was going to make all their lives miserable. This storm was brutal. It had been wreaking havoc for the last twelve hours and based on the latest weather report it had slowed down to a crawl, meaning it was going to stick around for a while.

Grabbing the dog’s leash, Jordan gently nudged the little furry blob on the floor. Nothing. She didn’t budge. “Gertie! Come on!”

Ninety-nine percent of the time, she loved the little mutt. This moment definitely fell into the one percent.

After she broke her engagement, Jordan had the sudden urge to have a pet. A lot of people told her it would pass, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Jordan needed unconditional love in her home, so she kept her eyes open for the right opportunity. She couldn’t handle a puppy or a kitten, so when she wandered around a rescue fair one Sunday this past September, she found herself completely enamored with Gertie. A stubby-legged little mutt, Gertie was a tube of golden fur with a pointy snout and big, soulful brown eyes. She was about five years old, and her owner had just died, leaving the little dog all alone.

Jordan felt a kinship with the pooch, and took her home that day.

Lina Rinaldi, who usually frowned on her cottage tenants having pets, took to the dog right away, and Gertie loved the older woman right back.

As Jordan stared at the lump still upside down on the floor, she was about ready to offer Mrs. Rinaldi full custody. Then a deep, rasping cough shook Jordan to the core. It racked her body violently, and pain shot around her chest. God, she felt awful.

“Come on,” she said firmly to the pooch. “We’ll skip the leash this time. Out and in. Let’s get this over with.”

Gertie rolled over and trotted to the front door, giving Jordan the side eye as she waited. Donning her parka and a pair of lined wellies that she pulled over her pajama pants, Jordan grabbed the remote and unlocked her car. When she opened the front door, she was hit by a blast of wind, rain, and sleet that stung her cheeks and chilled her to the bone. “Lord, it’s miserable.” Looking down at Gertie, she nodded. “Okay, let’s make this quick.”

The two of them bolted outside, with Gertie heading for her favorite patch of grass and Jordan heading for her car. She stopped when she coughed so hard she could barely breathe. It hurt. She’d never had a chest cold that hurt so much. Finally, yanking open the door, she heard her pooch barking from the small covered porch. Jordan grabbed the bag that was filled with some basic food provisions, juice, tea, tissues, and a selection of over-the-counter cold remedies. She slammed the car door shut, and on her way back inside she noticed the whitecaps on Jennings Bay. The wind was forcing massive amounts of water into the coves and harbors around town, and she hoped the it didn’t breach the seawall surrounding the property. Jordan’s cottage was closer to Cove Road, but the Rinaldis’ big house was at risk.

Without any further delay, Jordan made it back to the porch, feeling chilled and soaked to the bone despite all the foul weather gear she’d put on. Gertie was barking frantically, having positioned herself under the old wooden swing, and Jordan was starting to lose her patience.

“Gertie, what the hell is the problem?”

That’s when she heard the groan and crack. Jordan looked up just as a large section of an old oak tree, about fifty feet from the house, gave way. Throwing her body against the wall to avoid any debris, Jordan watched as the massive tree split in half and came crashing down, crushing her car in the process.

If she had waited ten more seconds to head outside, Jordan would have been killed.

Frozen in place for—she didn’t know how long—Jordan startled when a large, strong arm wrapped around her.

She looked away from the wreckage in the front yard and into the gorgeous face of Nick Rinaldi.

“Damn. Are you alright?”

Was she? She wasn’t sure. Jordan tried to answer, but she had trouble catching her breath. Sucking in air, he kept her steady when they walked into the house.

Waiting for the dog before he closed the door, Nick sat her on the bench in the entryway. Glancing in the canvas tote from the market, his brow furrowed.

“You’re sick? What’s wrong?”

With a low rattling cough that had him pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, she muttered, “Chest cold.”

Shaking his head, he helped her off with her boots and jacket. “Let’s get you settled in bed, and I’ll go get my bag. You’ve got a lot more than a chest cold.”

“My car…”

“We can’t do anything about your car until the storm passes, so put it out of your head. It’s the last thing you need to worry about.”

“Are you kidding? Not worry about it?” How was she supposed to get to work or see her dad? How was she supposed to do anything if she didn’t have a car? The pain in her chest wasn’t just from her cough at that moment, but at the wave of dread—helplessness—that rushed through her.

“One thing at a time.” Nick, a former Navy doctor, was single minded. And as much as Jordan didn’t want to admit it, he was right. In this weather, there was nothing she could do.

“Come on,” he said. “Lead the way.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said, stopping in her tracks. Those few words taxed her already strained system. She coughed painfully into her arm while Nick guided her into her room. The coughing spell was so violent, ripping at her tender lungs, she couldn’t even object as he tucked her into bed.

Sick as she was, Jordan wasn’t blind. Nick Rinaldi had been on her radar since he landed back in Compass Cove the previous fall. The guy was gorgeous, smart, and a gentleman to the core. But he’d settled back in with his grandparents almost six months ago, and other than a token hello, or a polite smile, he rarely spoke to her.

Still, with his lean frame, dark hair, and kind eyes, he checked a lot of boxes.

She thought she heard him mutter something about being stubborn, but her lack of breath didn’t allow a response. If anyone was stubborn, he was. The man of mystery was a well-known do-gooder, and obviously she was his next project. There was only one problem with that. She didn’t want his help. Needing people was a slippery slope, and Jordan had no intention of heading down that way again.

*****

Review:

So there are some people who are not going to like this story (that sounds bad but keep reading!). It’s pretty angst free, so there isn’t a lot of drama to move the plot. Instead it is all about the people – their interactions, developing feelings, and growth as they come to terms with their issues in order to move forward. And because that growth is a pretty big deal, there is a bit of time spent in their own heads. It’s their own issues they have to overcome, not an outside force, so there is a lot thinking and feeling.

Which also means there is a lot of back and forth, internally and between the two of them. Both feel the connection but they are scared to get involved for different reasons. Unfortunately the pull is strong enough that they can’t stay away either so there is a lot of yes/no…yes on getting together. That growth helps take care of it, and gives a pretty darn good HEA, although it takes some time and I know that sometimes I’m in the mood for that push/pull but a lot of times I’m just not.

Hopefully you’re still with me because I don’t want to scare anyone off, since I really enjoyed the book (I just know that it isn’t for everyone) and like other Moon books the characters make for a feel-good read. Nick is an honorable man with a big heart, which is what leads to a lot of his troubles. He takes things a little too seriously and struggles with some things that happened while he was in the military. Jordan also has a big heart but her failed engagement has her hesitant to trust in men again. Especially one who is obviously keeping something from her. It’s just so hard to resist someone who is ALWAYS there when you need them, doing exactly the right thing … drat that man for being too awesome!

Both Jordan and Nick have their reasons for feeling the way that they do but it is only together, with good communication, openness, and trust, that they have any hope of having a future (sounds pretty spot-on, eh?). You Send Me is a slow-burn romance with all the feels that you could ask for … and a hero that you’ll find yourself head-over-heels for in no time!

(You don’t have to have read Then Came You to enjoy this book. While there are returning characters there’s not really a lot of carry-over other than the friendship between them.)

*****

Author Info:

Jeannie Moon, author of fifteen novels, has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books and call it work. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs and a mischievous cat and lives in her hometown on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.

Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card or one of 12 print books of THEN CAME YOU or one of 5 print books of YOU SEND ME!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29525/

*****

Book Review – Allure

30 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

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Allure, Brooklet Dreams series, CA Harms

CA Harms is kicking off a new series and it looks to be another winner!

*****

Allure

Brooklet Dreams #1

by bestselling author CA Harms

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Blurb:

The next generation of the Southern Boys returns in a new spin-off series, Brooklet Dreams…

She was supposed to be my forever…

I’ll never forget the first time I saw her. She wore overalls two sizes too big and a pair of gloves that were also too large for her little hands. But that didn’t faze her one bit, and we clicked instantly.

By the age of twelve, we had become best friends, and by the time we turned sixteen, we were more. I had eyes for only one girl. My girl.

But then life changed, and different paths led to broken promises. When she left town, I was forced to let go of our dreams.

I spent my days existing. Baseball, classes, and working at the family farm became my life. I didn’t care about anything else. Until I met Allison Jo.

AJ was the quiet girl I never expected. She brought me to my knees with that beautiful smile. She made me laugh and slowly brought the old me back to life. I found myself wanting more with her.

I became her world, and she was my everything.

But when my past returns, my world is turned upside down.

I’m not sure I was prepared for what was about to happen.

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AllureTBR

Kindle Unlimited https://amzn.to/2Lm36LN

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2kgkHIr

Amazon INT. http://getbook.at/AllureCAHarms

Are you ready for the second generation of the Southern Boys? Allure (Brooklet Dreams #1) is Rhett’s story…Reed’s son from Forgiving Reed!

Read the Southern Boys Series…All 3 books individually or in a BOXSET!

Purchase the series: https://amzn.to/2rte1e2

Purchase the boxset…all three books in one place! https://amzn.to/2I3Iplr

*****

Review:

I’ll be honest, I usually avoid the in/fresh-out-of college, new adulty kind of book. Most of the time I just can’t connect with the characters but Harms does a really good job here of giving readers people that they can like. Both AJ and Rhett are reasonable and appealing (no melodrama), they have good friends and loving families (with characters returning readers will love to see again), and a slow build romance that is down-to-earth and lifelike.

At first, I did have a little concern with how love AJ waited for Rhett to get over himself and move on with his life. However, I don’t think she sat around and pined. She was just very patient and I remember that feeling – circling around someone, waiting for them to notice you. Once he does, though, Rhett definitely steps up 🙂 It may have taken him a while (and a few smacks up to the side of his head from his friends) to decide to move on, but he’s definitely smart enough to recognize a good thing when it’s right in front of him.

(I have seen a few complaints about how Rhett handles some things but I didn’t mind it at all. I understood where he was coming from and what he was saying. I’m not sure if there was some confusion with the words the author used or maybe a little transference onto his character but I didn’t get the same vibe that some did.)

Those looking for some kinda over-the-top love triangle story won’t find it here. Instead, Allure is a sweet read about moving on and finding love again. I will admit that there was a little drag in a couple because there wasn’t a lot of drama to the story. To me it seemed that pages went by without a lot of character or plot development, so it was just about getting us to the end and the HEA catalyst. But Harms definitely knows how to bring that about. I really enjoyed the ending and how everything is wrapped up in a feel-good way.

*****

Author Info:

C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She’s always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes…thankfully.

She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better…that quietness changes, fast.

NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/1xsgHCS

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xq4mdy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charms0814

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcaharms/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895633.C_A_Harms

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-CA-Harms/354791947956151

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/702393513116443/

*****

Spotlight – Fighting for Everything

29 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Fighting for Everything, Laura Kaye, Warrior Fight Club series

Tortured hero, lots of feels … this one looks like a winner!

*****

Fighting for Everything

Warrior Fight Club #1

by Laura Kaye

Release Date: 5/22/18

Blurb:

Loving her is the biggest fight of his life…

Home from the Marines, Noah Cortez has a secret he doesn’t want his oldest friend, Kristina Moore, to know. It kills him to push her away, especially when he’s noticing just how sexy and confident she’s become in his absence. But, angry and full of fight, he’s not the same man anymore either. Which is why Warrior Fight Club sounds so good.

Kristina loves teaching, but she wants more out of life. She wants Noah—the boy she’s crushed on and waited for. Except Noah is all man now—in ways both oh so good and troubling, too. Still, she wants who he’s become—every war-hardened inch. And when they finally stop fighting their attraction, it’s everything Kristina never dared hope for.

But Noah is secretly spiraling, and when he lashes out, it threatens what he and Kristina have found. The brotherhood of the fight club helps him confront his demons, but only Noah can convince the woman he loves that he’s finally ready to fight for everything.

Add to your Goodreads

And don’t miss the second standalone romance in the Warrior Fight Club series coming August 7, 2018 – Fighting for What’s His

PRE-ORDER on Amazon | Amazon Paperback | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Add to your Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

“I’m no good right now, Kristina,” Noah said in a low voice.

She shook her head. “That’s not true. You’ve been through something horrible. And you’re still recovering. Still hurting. That’s all understandable—”

“I am fucked in the head. You saw it yourself. Twice,” he said, his voice suddenly loud, bitter. Under her hands, his muscles tensed.

“You are not fucked in the head,” she said, anger and determination gathering deep in her belly. Not anger at Noah, but irrational anger for him. She hated that things had happened to him that left him feeling this way. So out of control, so sad, so unlike himself. “Sure, you have things you’re dealing with. And you will get a handle on them—”

“No,” he said, shaking her off and pacing in the narrow space behind the door. “You don’t understand. I’m…” Noah’s hands squeezed into fists at his sides. “…so goddamned angry. All the time. It feels like I could tear the world to pieces. And I want to.” He whirled on her. “Because the perfection of everything around me makes me feel so much more wrecked inside that I can barely breathe.”

Oh, God.

Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. She wouldn’t let herself fall apart. Not now. Not in front of him. Not when Noah needed to lean on her so damn badly. “The world around you is not perfect, Noah. It’s an illusion. And you are not wrecked—”

“I am.” He got right up in her face.

Kristina held her ground. “You’re not—”

“I am!”

“Noah—”

He grabbed her by the arms, not so much that it hurt, but with enough force that it surprised her. “Here’s your proof. I want to fuck you, Kristina. I want to bury myself in you and stay there forever. Just lose myself in you until I don’t know who I am anymore. I’ve been fantasizing about it, dreaming about it, imagining it. Having you is all I can fucking think about. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Noah’s words unleashed a flash fire in Kristina’s blood. Her heart tripped into a sprint. Her breathing shallowed out. Heat roared across her skin. One heartbeat. Two. And Kristina knew what she had to do.

Acting on instinct, she pulled out of Noah’s grip and stepped backward. Away from his confession. Away from him

*****

Author Info:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Blasphemy, Hard Ink, and Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. Laura also writes historical fiction as the NYT bestselling author, Laura Kamoie. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

*****

Giveaway:

Signed FIGHTING FOR EVERYTHING for 5 winners

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c1a0406/

*****

Tour Info:

May 21^st

Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt

Books and Bubble bath – Review & Excerpt

Catty Jane Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

Coffee Books Life – Review & Excerpt

I Love HEA Romance Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Knotty Girl Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Obsessed by books – Review & Excerpt

Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Romance as a first language – Review & Excerpt

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

May 22^nd

RELEASE DAY!!

May 23^rd

2 Amys Love Reading – Review & Excerpt

Blogging by Liza – Review & Excerpt

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Elenasbookblog – Review & Excerpt

Feeling Fictional – Review & Excerpt

Hot Kindle Reads – Review

Les Chroniques Aléatoires – Review & Excerpt

Melena’s Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Book Disciple – Review & Excerpt

May 24^th

Books of My Heart – Review & Excerpt

Cara’s Book Boudoir – Review & Excerpt

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Nice Ladies, Naughty Books – Review & Excerpt

Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review & Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Sofia Loves Books – Review

Wickedcoolflight – Review & Excerpt

May 25^th

Adventures in Writing – Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

Bobo’s Book Bank – Review & Excerpt

My Favorite Things – Review & Excerpt

NallaReads – Review & Excerpt

Novel Addiction – Review

Relentless Romance – Review & Excerpt

Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Rachel and Jay) – Review & Excerpt

Romancing the Readers – Review & Excerpt

May 26^th

AC Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Always a happy ever after – Review

Bad boys and bedtime stories book blog – Review

Fern’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt

Naturally Nerdy Books – Excerpt

The Staircase Reader – Review & Excerpt

The Book Boyfriend Addict – Review & Excerpt

May 27^th

Alphas Do It Better Book Blog – Review

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Bookishly Yours – Review & Excerpt

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review

Kari Gillespie – Review

Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm – Review & Excerpt

One girl lost in romance books – Review

Total Book Addicts – Review & Excerpt

May 28^th

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Deluged with Books Cafe – Review & Excerpt

JordansBookReviews – Excerpt

Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Review

Rad Babes Read – Review & Excerpt

Ripe For Reader – Review & Excerpt

Romance Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt

Thoughts of a Blonde – Review & Excerpt

May 29^th

A British Bookworm’s Blog – Review

Book Freak – Review & Excerpt

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

My Book Snack – Review & Excerpt

Romantic Reads and Such – Excerpt

Sip Read Love – Review

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

Vivi’s Messy Kitchen – Review

May 30^th

abibliophobia anonymous book reviews – Review

Bookgasms Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Books 2 Blog – Review & Excerpt

I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore – Review & Excerpt

Jax’s Book Magic – Review & Excerpt

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

Shakespeare’s Wench Book Blog – Review

Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt

May 31^st

Blissfully Bookish Besties – Review & Excerpt

Book Bitches Blog – Review & Excerpt

Brittany’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

Love Notes Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Spoons, Hooks, and Books – Review & Excerpt

The Book Reading Gals – Review & Excerpt

The bookworms obsession – Review

June 1^st

A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog – Review

Book Nook Nuts – Excerpt

Books A-Brewin’ – Review & Excerpt

Ever After Book Reviews – Excerpt

Only One More Page – Review & Excerpt

Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt

Renee Entress’s Blog – Review & Excerpt

She Hearts Books – Review & Excerpt

Wicked Babes Blog Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Book Review – Save Me

28 Monday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Cecy Robson, O'Brien Family series, Save Me

Save Me

An O’Brien Family Novel

by Cecy Robson

Three weddings. No date. What’s a hot stud to do when all the women on his speed dial are either serving dinner to their families or serving time?

Out of all the O’Briens, Seamus is the best-looking, most creative, and, did I mention, best-looking? Single at almost forty wasn’t a big deal until every sibling in his large and loud Irish family found “the one.” Now, he’s desperate for a wedding date, one he doesn’t have to worry will make out with the limo driver or rob the bride and groom blind.

Allie Mendes is the good daughter, who’s spent her life living in her perfect sister’s shadow. But when her sister steals the man Allie was supposed to marry, that shadow she’s lived in threatens to swallow her whole. Allie wants to believe a bright future awaits. But when she begs God to save her from this disastrous twist of fate, the last person she expects Him to send her is Seamus O’Brien.

Allie needs a stand-in boyfriend to avoid appearing as lonely as she feels. Seamus needs a decent woman without an ankle bracelet or a rap sheet as long as his muscular arms. The two make a deal to pose as each other’s perfect date. But weddings mean romance and a chance at forever neither had planned.

This is the first of this series that I’ve read and I have to admit that I didn’t think I was going to like Seamus. He’s brash, cocky, mouthy, and more often than not inappropriate. But he’s also caring and fun and he does everything he can to bring Allie out of her shell. I easily found myself falling under his spell right along with her.

Allie’s family is pretty much awful, especially her sister and she really needed to find a champion in Seamus. It helps, of course, that he’s sexy is all get out. His confidence (and, surprisingly, his lack of filter) helps her find her own mojo and the confidence to stand up for herself.

I liked that, while these two definitely needed to work on sharing their feelings, things were pretty much drama-free. At least between the two of them – Allie’s sister brought more than enough drama for everyone. Even when they finally reach the point that they have to come clean about falling in love, Robson handles it with care. It’s a sweet ending and definitely in line with the couple we’d gotten to know.

Book Review – Changing the Rules

17 Thursday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Champion Valley series, Changing the Rules, Erin Kern

Changing the Rules

A Champion Valley Novel

by Erin Kern

The next standalone novel in Erin Kern’s Champion Valley series!

This alpha athlete is about to meet his match…

Cameron Shaw knows exactly what he’s doing when it comes to coaching high school boys on the football field, but caring for a six-year-old girl is a whole different ballgame. When a gorgeous, highly opinionated woman shows up with his niece in tow and claims he’s Piper’s new guardian, Cameron’s first response is “hell no.” But he can’t abandon a little girl who just lost her mother….

Audrey Bennett wasn’t planning to stick around town, but Piper’s gruff, way-too-good-looking-for-his-own-ego uncle clearly needs help. The longer she stays-watching Cameron teach Piper to make pancakes and tie her sparkly pink shoelaces-the harder it is to leave. Especially when he stops arguing and gives Audrey the most toe-curling kiss of her life. But just as she thinks he might be the one, a secret he’s been keeping threatens to tear apart their happy little family.

“Smoldering and sexy and genuinely touching.” -RT Book Reviews on Along Came Trouble

While there were a couple of things that I feel like weren’t resolved, they weren’t related to the romance between Cam & Audrey so I let it go. I’m OK ignoring little things if I get a great, realistic love story 🙂 And that’s definitely what I liked about Changing the Rules. Everything felt normal – the slow burn of these two getting to know each other, falling in love, and learning to trust not only the other but themselves.

Both Cam & Audrey had things that happened in their lives that have left them a little burned when it comes to commitment. With the death of Piper’s mom (Cam’s estranged half-sister) they have to come together to do the right thing for the little girl. Time and proximity has them getting to know each other and liking what they see. They still are hesitant, but not so much so that it brings on too much drama. Instead they just have to learn to listen to their hearts.

Full of cute moments and feelings being explored, I was very pleased with how smoothly Kern brings these two together and has them working their way to being a family.

Book Review – HOT SEAL Redemption

16 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, HOT SEAL Redemption, HOT SEAL Team, Lynn Raye Harris

HOT SEAL Redemption

HOT SEAL Team #5

By Lynn Raye Harris

Bailey Jones doesn’t know jack about babies, but she knows how much it sucks to have a deadbeat father. So when her sister drops off her newborn baby and then disappears, Bailey is ready and willing to confront anyone, including a six-foot-two, sexier-than-sin Navy SEAL sniper, and make him do his duty.

Alexei “Camel” Kamarov is not the sort of man to carelessly father a kid, but as the oldest of six, he does know a thing or two about babies. The firebrand on his doorstep might have mistakenly tagged him as the baby daddy, but Bailey is cute, and Alexei is more than willing to give her a hands-on class in Baby 101.

When a ruthless criminal comes looking for the missing sister–putting Bailey and the baby in danger–the situation escalates. Bringing them under his roof and enlisting his HOT teammates to help find Bailey’s sister are easy. But as Alexei and Bailey draw closer, passions erupt and feelings tangle.

That’s nothing compared to the danger lurking in the shadows–and the test that awaits them both. Bailey will need to give everything she’s got to redeem Alexei’s faith in love. And he’ll have to move heaven and earth to save her–before someone takes her away from him for good…

I’ve read quite a few of the HOT series but this is my first of the HOT SEAL off-shoots and I can honestly say it didn’t make a difference. I stopped because I fell behind by a book or two and there seemed to be enough flow from book to book (mostly with the bad guy) that I didn’t feel comfortable picking up again in the middle. I was assured this was a good place to start back up, though, and I’m sure glad I listened!

Based on the stories I’d read before I knew I’d get action and emotion, with strong women and take charge men, and this one didn’t disappoint. From the first page I was hooked! After her sister left her in charge of her niece, Bailey goes barreling over to Alexei’s to confront the man who she thought was the baby’s dad. From her banging on his door and yelling her *ahem* “high” opinion about him to Alexei bringing her into his home to help her take care of Ana, it’s fun and sassy and a great meet-cute.

Of course, bad things come calling when Bailey gets threatened at work by someone looking for her sister. With the brains and brawn that populate the HOT team, Bailey has a lot of help at her disposal. But it’s going to take some time which keeps her in Alexei’s orbit just that much longer … lucky girl!

Neither of them were looking to get involved, but the heart rarely plays fair and I really enjoyed watching both Bailey and Alexei fall in love. They struggle with it a bit and have a few moments where being a little more up front about their changing feelings would have saved them both some heartache, but overall it was pretty drama free (which I appreciate). Instead, we get two people who thought they wanted one thing slowly figuring out that maybe they want something so much different after all.

With a large dose of sizzle between the main characters, a little bit of danger thrown in to spice things up, Alexei and Bailey’s romance if a ton of fun to read. I’m looking forward to enjoying more of the HOT guys … maybe I’ll go back and get the ones I’ve missed!

Spotlight – No Cowboy Required

15 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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a Biggest Little Love story, JoAnn Sky, No Cowboy Required

Who else just LOVES a good second chance love story?!?!?

*****

No Cowboy Required

a Biggest Little Love story

by JoAnn Sky

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 14, 2018

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Format: Digital eBook / Print

Digital ISBN: B07CLLWWLN

Print ISBN: 9781640635012

Blurb:

Welcome to Reno, Nevada, the Biggest Little City in the World! Sweet Home Alabama meets Raising Helen in this sweet small town contemporary romance debut from Golden Heart® Award finalist JoAnn Sky!

Enemies make the best partners…

As a photographer in NYC, Grace Harper is a pro at handling the unexpected–which comes in handy when she inherits the ranch home she ran away from seven years ago…along with a young, autistic stepbrother she’s never met. And because nothing ever goes easy for her, Grace finds her frustrating, sexy ex-flame, Noah, taking care of JJ. But she’s getting out of this nowhere town fast, so she’ll have to find a way to keep from throttling Noah—without kissing him first.

Noah Taylor may be enemy number one to Grace, but she needs his help. He knows the girl he used to love is still there, beneath the heels and fancy clothes, so he’ll help her—and keep his distance like she says she wants. Only the more time they spend together, the closer he wants to get. Grace has no intention of staying, but she belongs in his arms—he just has to prove it to her.

Add to your TBR list: Goodreads

Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

*****

Excerpt:

She stopped shuffling the papers and stood but didn’t face him. “I want you to keep the farm, and I want to help you do it. But I need a new start, too.” She took a deep breath, turned her head just slightly over her shoulder toward him. “On my own.”

He watched those three little words barrel toward him. In another second, they’d knock him on his ass. He grabbed her arm and turned her around. “And that’s just the way you like it.” He leaned into her, watched her pupils dilate. “Doesn’t that get lonely?”

Her lips parted, as if to respond. But no words came out. She stared at him, waiting. For what, he wasn’t sure. She licked her lips.

To hell with whether it was love or lust or chemistry or kryptonite. He swooped in, covered her mouth with his, and drank her in. He thought she would push him away. Instead she pulled him closer, offered him more.

He took it at first, deepening the kiss, his tongue probing, tasting. It was good. She was good. But it could be better. He did care whether it was love or lust. He needed to take it slow, make it mean something.

Maybe then she’d stay.

*****

Author Info:

JoAnn Sky has written for years as part of her job (business and marketing plans and the like). One day she tried her hand at writing for fun—and like it. Now she authors adult contemporary romance and young adult romance with a magical twist as well as children’s books.

JoAnn is a two-time Golden Heart® finalist (YA category and Contemporary Short category). Originally from the Midwest, JoAnn currently lives in northern Nevada with her husband a.k.a. love of her life, three teenage children, and three crazy rescue dogs.

Visit her at https://joannsky.com/ where you can sign up for her newsletter (and check out www.dogsandbooks.com for additional information about her children’s books). You can also connect on Twitter at @jaskybooks (http://twitter.com/JASkyBooks) or on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/joannskyauthor/).

JoAnn is represented by the fabulous Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency.

*****

Giveaway:

JoAnn is offering one (1) lucky winner a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29519/

*****

Spotlight – Three Day Fiancée

14 Monday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Marissa Clarke, Three Day Fiancée

Today’s book is getting some amazing 5 star reviews on Goodreads – check it out below and order your own copy today!

*****

Three Day Fiancée

by Marissa Clarke

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Helicopter pilot Taylor Blankenship’s time schedule is maxed out. Between his job, his eighty-pound slobbering mess of a dog, and his matchmaking grandmother, he has no time for anyone or anything—especially a woman. If only there were a way to get Grams to back down.

The job of New York City dog walker suits Caitlin Ramos perfectly while she preps for her CPA exam—steady, scheduled, and requiring very little human interaction; a huge seller since she’s still on the mend from a toxic relationship. Men suck. Especially her bossy, hot client with the Saint Bernard that thinks it’s a lap dog. No way will she go for his plan to pretend they’re engaged to get his grandmother off his case. Down, boy.

Offered a bargain she can’t refuse, Caitlin finds herself playing the part of fiancée to Taylor. Fortunately, it’s only for three days. All she has to do is fake a relationship with Mr. Bossy Pants in front of his entire family, survive a fierce game of truth or dare with an unscrupulous pair of octogenarians, endure a one-on-one round of Twister with Taylor, and not lose her heart to a guy who turns out tobe a lot more than she’d bargained for.

Get Your Copy Today: Amazon | B&N | Entangled | iBooks | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Wait.” He’d evidently caught her by surprise because she lost her footing and crashed into him from the simple tug he’d given her hand, probably because as usual, his goofy dog, Beauregard, was in the way. He wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her against him to keep her from falling—well, that’s why he did it at first. Once she was steady, he continued to hold her because, dammit, she felt good. Too good. For a moment, they both froze. Her soft, rain-damp body pressed against his harder one. Much harder. He cleared his throat, but neither moved. “I don’t know your name.”

“Caitlin.” Her voice was breathy.

“Nice to meet you, Caitlin.”

She remained still. “Uh, yeah.”

“Last name?”

“Ramos.”

“I’m Taylor Blankenship.”

“I know.”

He felt her muscles relax a bit and his entire body went on red alert as her curves melted into him. His imagination ran wild envisioning lowering his mouth to hers. Instead, he cleared his throat and dropped to one knee. Of course, Beauregard took the opportunity to lick Taylor’s cheek before he pushed him away, attempting to maintain his expression of absolute sincerity.

He took both of her hands in his, trying to look like Prince Charming in a silly movie. “Caitlin Ramos, dog walker extraordinaire and wearer of wet clothes, would you make me the happiest man in all of Weirdville and do me the honor of pretending to be my fiancée at my grandmother’s party so that she gets off my case before she drives me completely nuts?”

There was an uncomfortable pause in which she simply stared at him, making it feel like his heart would pound out of his chest. And then she did something amazing. She laughed. Threw her head back and laughed, which made him feel lighter than he had in years.

“You look ridiculous,” she said.

“I feel ridiculous.”

*****

Author Info:

Marissa Clarke is a multi award-winning, RITA® nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on an island in the middle of a river. Seriously, she does. When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, two Cairn Terriers, and one husband.

Inexplicably, her favorite animal is the giant anteater and at one point, she had over 200 “pet” Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The roaches are a long story involving three science-crazed kids and a soft spot for rescue animals. The good news is, the “pet” roaches found a home… somewhere else.

*****

Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb659/

*****

Book Review – Lennon Reborn

11 Friday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Lennon Reborn, Preload series, Scarlett Cole

I so love those Preload boys!

*****

Lennon Reborn

Preload #4

by Scarlett Cole

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press SWERVE

Format: Digital and Paperback

Blurb:

Lennon McCartney is not a broken man. Because being broken implies being whole once. When a horrific accident deprives him of the one thing he loves—his talent as a fierce and explosive drummer—Lennon is left with a life chained by an abusive mother, by crushing guilt over a tragic past. A life he doesn’t want.

Dr. Georgia Starr is a legend. She’s one of the most successful neurosurgeons in the world, coming from a long-line of respected New York doctors. Her life is built around solving complex medical cases in order to bring relief and hope to sick children. But the one problem she can’t solve is how to live her life. How to shake loose the burden of being her elitist, arrogant father’s daughter. How to be free.

Can a man who despises his life and a woman who desperately needs to live find the answers, and love, with each other?

Buy Now: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Chapters Indigo

*****

Excerpt:

“Will you tell me about the band? Dred said you were brothers? You told me about Adam. But Dred, Elliott, the others.”

Lennon swallowed hard. He should have expected the question at some point. “Nik’s the oldest. He’s the glue that kept us together as a family. Our social worker, Maisey, always said that seeing as biological families don’t get to choose their families yet somehow make it work, so should we. And Nik’s past . . . well, I guess he took it to heart and became the patriarch. Dred is the brains of the band, and the one most passionate about our music and careers.”

Lennon swallowed hard, hoping to avoid a hint of emotion in his words. “Elliott is the mom of the group. Maisey says he has a way with broken kids. Guess Jordan and I would agree with that. Jordan is the soul.”

“So what are you?” she asked, letting go of his hand and rolling close so she was on her side, her head on his shoulder.

“The annoying little brother,” he said. Georgia smacked him playfully across the stomach. He automatically went for her hand to hold it against him but couldn’t reach. Fuck.

“I don’t believe it for a second,” she said as she gripped his chin and turned him to face her. “They’re expressing too much love and concern for someone who is simply an annoying little brother. You did let them know you are okay, right?”

“I did. Wanna check my phone?” he asked, then sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Gia. I have this habit . . . of pushing people away.”

“Why?” Georgia asked, moving to her knees in front of him.

He couldn’t help but look up at her.

“You are lucky that people worry about you, Lennon. They love you, like genuinely, with their whole hearts. If anything happened to me, my father would care only about the implications for his neurosurgery legacy and who I would leave this place to in my will.”

The words bounced around in his brain. He wanted to ignore them, wanted to let them fall into the cracks between the two of them, but he couldn’t. Because they came from her, he felt compelled to hear them. And because he was listening, like actually paying attention to every word that fell from those pretty lips of hers, he heard the hurt. Heard the loss behind the boldly spoken statement.

She was lost, like him.

“I’m going to hire a physical therapist to start coming to the condo every day and a personal trainer to kick my ass into gear,” he said suddenly. Perhaps if he jump-started his own life, she’d copy him and jump-start her own. “But I’m only going to do it if you agree to make some changes in yours.”

“Lennon,” she said, those pretty eyes studying his intently, “you have to do this for yourself, not because of me.”

“I know,” he replied. “But what’s wrong with a little motivation between friends? You need to stop more often, let more into your life than being a superstar neurosurgeon. I know you thrive on it, I know you love it. Happiness can come from so many different places, I think we both need to learn that. And I don’t want you to do it for me. Don’t you want it for yourself?”

Georgia sighed. “I do,” she whispered, the weight of those two simple words hitting him squarely in the chest. Because in another life, in another time, he could imagine her saying them to him in a completely different setting.

*****

Review:

I hate to say it (and I think it was because of all the build-up I saw around this book’s release) but I didn’t find Lennon Reborn to be THAT heart-wrenching. I felt for the guy so very much and I was so happy to finally find out why he is the way he is … but I kinda was waiting for even more of an emotional punch. Don’t get me wrong, there are a TON of feels here and I relished every one, but they didn’t grab hold of my heart and squeeze like I expected them to.

The opening is definitely nerve-wracking and when you find out exactly how much it costs Lennon you can’t help but get choked up. He’s done a good job of hiding his troubles behind the jerk mask he wears, but life has not been kind to this man (I cannot imagine how he managed to survive his childhood) and the only thing that kept him together was his music and his band mates … now he’s losing one of those and his deepest fear is that he’ll lose it all. Lucky for him, he has his own savior in Dr. Georgia Starr.

Georgia usually deals with pediatric patients but when she’s right there at Lennon’s accident she does everything she can to help. When she finds herself thinking about Lennon afterward, it doesn’t take her long before she finds herself in his room. And the hurt she senses in him (and their obvious attraction) has her going out of her way to get him back on his feet. She’s just not fully aware of what that is going to mean for them both.

I loved these two together. Lennon is struggling but he senses something in Georgia, something that speaks to his damaged side. While he’s given himself up as a lost cause, he thinks that she needs someone to help her get more out of life and he’s decided to help her. As for Georgia, she’s not going to let Lennon wallow. Her blunt, up-front personality is so refreshing and it definitely keeps him on his toes, making him think about more than what he’s lost (not just today but always).

Together Lennon and Georgia manage to work through their demons and figure out a way to enjoy life again. Steamy, sexy, and full of all sorts of emotions, Lennon Reborn is another wonderful entry into a fabulous series about men dealing with their pasts and the women who love them enough to help them through it.

*****

Author Info:

The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada were I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I’m getting the chance to follow that dream.

Connect with Scarlett: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win the Complete Preload Signed Paperback Series eBooks!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29515/

*****

Spotlight – Brother’s Keeper III: Luke

10 Thursday May 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Brother's Keeper III: Luke, Stephanie St. Klaire

People are LUH-VING this series … the third book is now out and you should pick it up now while it is on sale!!

*****

Brother’s Keeper III: Luke

by Stephanie St. Klaire

Blurb:

Luke O’Reilly has seen it all, done it all, and lived through it all. When a career ending injury forces him to retire from the military, he struggles to adapt. Luke was born to be a soldier, not conform to the nine-to-five mediocrity of everyday life. He needs to protect and serve like he needs his next breath.

Angry, with a bitter taste of civilian life, he finds himself searching for purpose in dangerous operatives through the family business that is Brother’s Keeper Security. Working alongside his brothers, protecting them and those they love, gives him satisfaction. But he still wants more – needs more – and struggles to find it. That is, until the one thing he didn’t think he was searching for, lands on his doorstep. Literally.

Daisy King lives life on her own terms, just the way she likes it. A free spirit, until she finds herself in the protective clutches of Brother’s Keeper, one frustrating brother in particular. As the key witness to a high-profile murder, the stakes turn dangerous and take an unpredictable twist leaving her once simple life an existence she’ll never reclaim.

In a true tug of war between good and evil, Luke fights to overcome his past, to protect his future. Can Luke and Daisy save each other and find a happily ever after? Or, does murder and mayhem prevail, robbing Daisy of her freedom and sentencing Luke to a life alone?

Join Stephanie’s newsletter for exclusive details about the book: www.stephaniestklaire.com/newsletter

Grab it now while it’s only $1.99 (release sale!)

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2qma4qj

iBooks: https://apple.co/2HnXm2f

BN: http://bit.ly/2qnyPm3

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2qm8DYQ

Purchase the previous books in the series

BROTHER’S KEEPER I: DECLAN

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2CyoH1J

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1316795997

Nook: http://bit.ly/2lPDz2k

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lS8jyZ

BROTHER’S KEEPER II: LIAM

Amazon: http://bit.ly/BrothersKeeperLIAM

iBooks: https://apple.co/2CqdmwH

BN: http://bit.ly/2CpyMdz

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2CoUGNW

*****

Author Info:

Stephanie St. Klaire debuted in 2016, launching her writing career with Rescued, the first book in the widely popular, five book series known as McKenzie Ridge. Stephanie is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs.

As a writer, Stephanie brings realistic circumstances to the pages, and fills them with real emotion, reactions, and outcomes. Her characters are passionate, have bold personalities, and full of life. She writes happily ever after’s, with plenty of twists, turns, drama, and of course, steamy romance.

Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.

Follow Stephanie St. Klaire on Social media to learn more about her, and to keep up with her work.

Website: www.stephaniestklaire.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephstklaire/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SSKKrew

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephStKlaire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephstklaire/

Newsletter: www.stephaniestklaire.com/newsletter

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/stephstklaire

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2mBdpAz

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/stephanie-st-klaire

*****